A Christmas Wish
By: Krysia
E-mail: Krysia2882@hotmail.com
Setting: R Dark Moon
Rated: G
The smells acquainted with holiday baking wafted throughout Makoto’s apartment. As she finished her last minute preparations, she hummed a Christmas carol softly to
herself. She wrapped her last gift, checked the ribbon to
make sure it was snug while reflecting on the past weeks
events.
Makoto sat back and brushed the chestnut tendrils away from her face. She stared at the small Christmas tree in the corner, but didn’t really see the homemade and inexpensive ornaments or the twinkling lights.
“What’s the deal with the Dark Moon? Can’t we ever have any
peace?” she mused out loud. “And Chibi-usa…who is she? Where is she from?”
Makoto abruptly stood and began cleaning up the scraps of bright colored wrapping paper and ribbons. These thoughts were making her anxious and disturbing the nostalgic feelings the holidays usually bring.
“Why did Mamoru-san break up with Usagi?”
After cleaning her apartment to her satisfaction and to distract
herself from thoughts of Usagi being unhappy, Makoto walked over to the window and looked out at the darkened sky. The city lights made it difficult to see the stars, but she made a wish anyway.
“Merry Christmas Usagi. Please be happy.”
Rei knelt before the sacred fire at the Hikawa Shrine. Her face
was lit up by the glow of the flickering flames. She looked
serene as she meditated, trying to focus on possible solutions to the senshi’s current problems.
“Who is the Dark Moon? Where did they come from? Why do they want Chibi-usa?”
After a while of trying to draw upon the power of the fire for
answers, her thoughts began to drift to her princess and her
unhappiness. Thinking of the situation between Usagi and Mamoru, Rei stood and walked away from the fire. The peace and serenity forgotten. She ran a hand frustratedly though her long dark hair.
‘Why can’t she be happy for once? Why does there have to be
something?’ Rei walked out of the room and stood on the ground of the shrine. The night was dark and a few stars shone brightly. One star seemed to have a cluster of other stars around it, basking in each other’s glow.
Rei smiled gently. Those stars were like the senshi. Each with
their own glow but blazed even brighter when they were together.
“Merry Christmas Usagi” she whispered softly. “May you continue to glow brightly. We’re here for you.”
A vivacious blonde-haired girl danced around her room singing
along with the nearby radio blasting at full-volume. A white cat
with a crescent moon on his forehead ducked and weaved out of her way, finally reaching his destination without mishap. He jumped onto the bed and perched himself on the end near the window. He rolled his eyes and grimaced when he noticed her ‘microphone’ was actually her Venus pen.
Artemis cleared his throat. Minako continued to dance around her room, shaking and strutting, pausing only to pose in front of the mirror or fling her waist-length hair out of her way. Artemis realized with dismay that he would have to wait until the end of the song until he caught her attention.
As the last few notes faded away, Artemis cleared his throat
again. “Minako!”
Minako paused in mid-bow. “Yes Artemis?”
“Do you think that you should be acting so careless with all that is going on now? We need to be concentrating on the motives of the Dark Moon and protecting the princess.”
Minako stopped bowing and moved to her trademark Venus pose. “We’re on it Artemis. The Sailor Senshi will never let you down. Besides…” she glanced slyly on the clock on the mantle. “Isn’t it time for you to meet with Luna?”
Artemis looked at the clock. With a quick yowl, he hopped on the sill and leapt out the window, not even so much as a good-bye to his charge.
Minako shook her head and smiled fondly at Artemis’ antics. “Be nice Luna,” she said with a grin, before a more serious
expression settled on her visage. She reached over and turned
off the radio before she plopped on the edge of the bed looking out the window in the direction Artemis had left. He was no longer in sight, but that wasn’t where Minako’s thoughts were directed.
She sighed deeply as she reflected what Artemis had said. “We
can’t protect her from what is hurting her most.” She brought
one hand up and placed it over her heart, fist clenched in pain
as she thought of the suffering her princess was going through.
“I wish I could take the pain away from you. I wish I could give
you the comfort that you need, but I know in my heart….it will
all work out. Merry Christmas Usagi.”
Ami closed the lid of her Mercury computer with frustration. She
removed her glasses and set them carefully on the desk next to her. She rubbed her eyes tiredly with one hand and she stretched slightly from the uncomfortable position she had been sitting.
‘How long had she been hunched over her computer? And she was no closer in figuring out who the Dark Moon were or what they wanted. Maybe I should scan Chibi-usa?’ she pondered. ‘The Dark Moon wants her desperately for some reason.’
Ami pushed herself back in her chair and stood next to her desk. Her eyes strayed about her tidy room, taking in the neat bed; the shelves lined with books and the large window with a spectacular view of Tokyo. She walked over and marveled at the vastness of it all. She placed a hand on the cool glass and leaned forward until her forehead pressed against the pane.
She closed her eyes. “I’m sorry Princess. Please don’t be sad.
We’ll figure out what is going on and fight for peace. I believe
in us. I believe in you. Merry Christmas Usagi.”
Luna entered the bedroom via the window. She sat on the sill and watched the two girls sleeping soundly in the bed.
‘Chibi-usa must have come in after Usagi fell asleep.’
Chibi-usa had curled up next to Usagi. She started to move
restlessly in her sleep as if having a bad dream. She whimpered and ‘Mommy’ was whispered. Luna stood up to go comfort her, when Usagi rolled over and drew Chibi-usa closer to her in her sleep. Chibi-usa immediately relaxed and only her rythymic breathing was heard.
Luna shook her head in amazement at Usagi’s ability to recognize Chibi-usa’s need of comfort, even while asleep.
‘That girl never ceases to amaze me.’
With one last fond look at the girls, Luna hopped onto the end of the bed and curled up for the night.
“Merry Christmas Usagi” she murmured as she also drifted off to sleep.
Moments later, Usagi began to stir. She opened her eyes sleepily and looked about her room. She noticed Luna at the end of the bed and Chibi-usa pressed up against her.
“Little Spore” she muttered half-heartedly. It was good having
her here to help fill the void she felt now. With that thought,
she quietly crept to the end of her bed and folded her arms on
the windowsill. She rested her chin on them and stared out into the black night. The moon seemed to be hidden from her tonight.
‘Great’ she thought morosely. ‘One more thing avoiding me.’
She thought over the events that been happening and how her life had changed since this pink-haired brat literally dropped into her life. Trying to shift her thoughts to something more pleasant, she thought of her friends. Almost instantly, a wave of love overwhelmed her…bringing her peace…for now. She laid her head on her arm and closed her eyes. A tear coursed down her cheek and she finally slipped into a peaceful sleep.
The moon peeked out, spilling its light on the sleeping girl.
With her white nightgown and her hair let loose, she looked like an angel. At least that was the thought of a certain young man perched outside of the window.
He was barely discernible outside in the shadows. Only his white mask shone in the moonlight. He slowly leaned over and carefully opened the window from the outside. He gently brushed her lips with his. One of his own tears fell, mingling with the tear on her cheek.
“Merry Christmas Usagi” was whispered huskily by the masked
stranger. In moments, the window was closed and he was gone.
The girl, still asleep by the window, smiled softly.
